# Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis

The governor-general of Saint Kitts and Nevis is the representative of the monarch of Saint Kitts and Nevis, currently King Charles III. The appointed governor-general, currently Marcella Liburd, lives in Government House, Basseterre, which serves as her official residence.

## Constitutional basis

The office of governor-general is established by section 21 of the constitution of Saint Kitts and Nevis, which provides that the governor-general is appointed by the monarch and serves at His Majesty's pleasure. The governor-general must be a citizen of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

## List of governors-general of Saint Kitts and Nevis

Following is a list of people who have served as Governor-General of Saint Kitts and Nevis since independence in 1983.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Monarch (Reign) |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Monarch (Reign) |
| 1 | | Sir Clement Arrindell (1931–2011) | 19 September 1983 | 31 December 1995 | 12 years, 103 days | Elizabeth II (1983–2022) |
| 2 | | Sir Cuthbert Sebastian (1921–2017) | 1 January 1996 | 1 January 2013 | 17 years, 0 days | Elizabeth II (1983–2022) |
| 3 | | Sir Edmund Lawrence (b. 1932) | 2 January 2013 | 19 May 2015 | 2 years, 137 days | Elizabeth II (1983–2022) |
| – | | Tapley Seaton (1950–2023) Acting Governor-General | 19 May 2015 | 2 September 2015 | 106 days | Elizabeth II (1983–2022) |
| 4 | | Sir Tapley Seaton (1950–2023) | 2 September 2015 | 31 January 2023 | 7 years, 151 days | |
| 4 | | Sir Tapley Seaton (1950–2023) | 2 September 2015 | 31 January 2023 | 7 years, 151 days | Charles III (2022–present) |
| 5 | | Dame Marcella Liburd (b. 1953) | 1 February 2023 | Incumbent | 1 year, 353 days | Charles III (2022–present) |

## Constitutional powers, functions and duties

The office of Governor-General is provided for by Chapter III, Sections 21 to 24 of the Constitution. These state:
       22.-
          1. During any period when the office of Governor-General is vacant or the holder of the office of Governor-General is absent from Saint Christopher and Nevis or is for any other reason unable to perform the functions of his office those functions shall be performed by such person as Her Majesty may appoint.
          2. Any person appointed under subsection (1) shall hold office during Her Majesty's pleasure and shall in any case cease to perform the functions of the office of Governor-General if the holder of the office of Governor-General has notified him that he is about to assume or resume those functions.
          3. The holder of the office of Governor-General shall not, for the purposes of this section, be regarded as absent from Saint Christopher and Nevis or as unable to perform the function of his office-
             a. by reason that he is in passage from one part of Saint Christopher and Nevis to another; or
             b. at any time when there is a subsisting appointment of a deputy under section 23(1).
    Deputy to Governor-General.
       23.-
          1. When the Governor-General-
             a. has occasion to be absent from the seat of government but not from Saint Christopher and Nevis;
             b. has occasion to be absent from Saint Christopher and Nevis for a period that he considers, in his own deliberate judgment, will be of short duration; or
             c. is suffering from an illness that he considers, in his own deliberate judgment, will be of short duration,
          he may appoint any person in Saint Christopher and Nevis to be his deputy during such absence or illness and in that capacity to perform on his behalf such of the functions of the office of Governor-General as he may specify.
          2. Without prejudice to subsection (1), the Governor-General shall appoint a person in the island of Nevis as Deputy Governor-General to be his deputy in that island and in that capacity to signify on his behalf that he assents or withholds his assent to any bill passed by the Nevis Island Assembly and to perform on his behalf such other functions of the office of Governor-General relating to that island as he may specify.
          3. The power and authority of the Governor-General shall not be abridged, altered or in any way affected by the appointment of a deputy under this section and, subject to the provisions of this Constitution and any other law, a deputy shall conform to and observe all instructions that the Governor-General, acting in his own deliberate judgment, may from time to time address to him:
          Provided that the question whether or not a deputy has conformed to and observed any such instructions shall not be enquired into by any court of law.
          4. Subject to subsection (5), a person appointed under subsection (1) or, as the case may be, subsection(2) shall hold his appointment for such period as may be specified by the Governor-General at the time of his appointment.
          5. Any appointment made under subsection (1) or, as the case may be, subsection (2) may be revoked at any time by the Governor-General.
          6. The Governor-General shall act-
             a) in relation to the making of an appointment under subsection (1) or the revocation of such an appointment, in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister; and
             b) in relation to the making of an appointment under subsection (2) or the revocation of such an appointment, in accordance with the advice of the Premier.
    Oaths.
       24.- A person appointed to hold or act in the office of Governor-General or to be his deputy shall, before entering upon the duties of that office, take and subscribe the oath of allegiance and the oath of office.